Judge orders mental competency exam for N.D. man accused of dismembering girlfriend

FARGO, N.D. (TCN) -- A judge has ordered a mental health evaluation for a man accused of killing and dismembering his girlfriend, whose body has not yet been found.

On Feb. 10, 21-year-old Joshua Hite was charged with murder and evidence tampering in connection with the disappearance of his girlfriend, Isadora Wengel, 25. Authorities believe he dismembered Wengel with a saw he ordered from Home Depot on DoorDash and that her body is buried in a black storage box.

Items belonging to Wengel, along with a latex glove, a blade, and bloody plastic sheeting with Wengel’s DNA on it, were found in a dumpster outside his apartment. Hite has been accused of lying to authorities and family members, and allegedly sent photos from Wengel’s Snapchat account, posing as her. Authorities believe her body may have been disposed of across state lines.

According to police, Wengel was likely killed between January 3 and 6, KFGO reports. A judge ordered a mental health evaluation for Hite to determine if he is competent to stand trial and sent him to North Dakota State Hospital in Jamestown, North Dakota, for the examination. According to the outlet, it could take up to 30 days to determine his competence.

Examiners will assess whether Hite can understand the proceedings and assist in his defense, Valley News Live reports. The examination must be completed within 15 days of receiving the materials needed to complete the assessment. In addition, a judge authorized an order to determine whether Hite understood the nature of his alleged actions at the time and whether he was experiencing distortions of reality. According to Valley News Live, the results of the exam will only be provided to the defense.

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